Working From Home

Sitting posture

Sit 20 minutes, Stand 8 minutes, Move (walk, stretch) 2 minutes. Repeat.

Those of you working from home: We understand most of you won’t have proper work stations
and this can have a damaging effect on your posture over the next 3+ weeks.

When you’re sitting or standing for extended periods of time, your body—with all its nerves and
muscles—is in a constant state of adjustment. This is a process called proprioception. This word
comes from the same Latin root as ‘proper’; as a process it’s all about correction, and the
process by which the body can correct itself. Proprioception involves a feedback loop, which
works like a dialogue between your joints and the brain. Your eyes and other sensory organs
send information to the brain which allow it to adjust muscles and joints either rapidly—like when
there’s a stretch of uneven pavement—or more gradually, in smaller movements and over a
longer period of time—like when you sit in a swivel chair at a desk.

It is important to feed this loop with activity. It allows your body to naturally correct itself, and
keep itself healthy. In other words, static sitting or standing all the time is enemy número uno.

The Bottom Line

 Your body is not designed to remain static for long periods of time – but it is built to correct itself and keep itself healthy as you stay active. Each of these solutions maximises activity in your proprioception feedback loop, allowing your body to correct itself, and keep itself healthy.